The Menahan Street Band is home to musicians from Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, El Michels Affair, Antibalas and The Budos Band. Brought together by multi-instrumentalist / producer Thomas Brenneck who was also responsible for Amy Winehouse's success, they rehearse in his spacious bedroom. In contrast to the mentioned bands, the music of the Menahan Street Band is a lot quieter. The Ethiopian
… jazz musician Mulatu Astatke and the music of Curtis Mayfield are mentioned as sources of inspiration. Make The Road By Walking is a purely instrumental album with a very relaxing effect. The songs seem to be made in the sixties and sound raw and unpolished. The shrill, shrill wind section in particular does not play very polished and that keeps things lively. With the exception of minor forays into reggae and three-quarter time, most of the songs seem to have come from the Ethiopian affiliate of the Stax studios. (AD)more
